The Travel Agent Association (TAA) yesterday condemned EVA Airways pilots for threatening to go on strike during the Lunar New Year holiday, saying it is immoral and completely ignores the interests of consumers.
The association, which has nearly 4,000 travel agencies as members, issued a statement after the airline’s pilots on Monday secured the right to strike through a vote organized by the Taoyuan Union of Pilots and said they could go on strike during the Lunar New Year holiday.
Passengers would be given 24 hours notice before they proceed with the strike, they said.
Photo: Tony Yao, Taipei Times
The Lunar New Year is peak time for overseas travel, the association said, adding that most consumers plan their trip at least two months ahead of time and had completed payments to secure spots in tour groups.
“The pilots are fighting for their benefits at the expense of consumers and travel agencies. They are putting their interests above those of other people,” the association said.
The union should give the public one month’s notice before striking, the association said, adding that this is the way to get what they want from the airline and to minimize the inconvenience caused to travelers.
“The purpose of launching a strike is to cause the employer to suffer losses. If the union announces such a move one month in advance, allowing passengers to avoid traveling during the strike, the airline would surely report a heavy loss on ticket sales as well as an increase in operating costs caused by grounded flights,” the association said.
Many nations have laws requiring workers to give advance notice before they go on strike, particularly those working in the civil aviation industry, the association said.
Aside from allowing consumers the time to make different travel arrangements, the advance notice gives room for three-way negotiation with the government, employees and the employer.
The union estimated that the strike would affect mostly travelers bound for the US, Canada and Europe, as 75 percent of EVA Airways pilots in the union fly long-haul flights.
The airline and the union are to negotiate again today at a meeting presided over by officials from the Taoyuan Department of Labor, but travel agencies said they have already begun to feel the repercussions of a possible strike.
TAA chairman Hsiao Po-jen (蕭博仁) said agencies have been receiving telephone calls since Monday from consumers asking if they can get a full refund on their tour fees.
“Their flights, accommodation, food and transportation in travel destinations have been paid in full. These operators are not going to refund the payments because there is a pilot strike in Taiwan,” Hsiao said.
For package tours to Europe and North America, each person pays about NT$70,000 to NT$150,000 for tour fees, he said, adding that travel agencies could sustain daily financial losses of NT$117,000 per group should the strike proceed.
About 70 to 90 percent of group tours to Europe and North America departing during the holiday have been sold, and those leaving during the two weeks before the holiday have been sold out as well, he said.
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden
Tropical Storm Podul has formed over waters north-northeast of Guam and is expected to approach the seas southeast of Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. The 11th Pacific storm of the year developed at 2am over waters about 2,660km east of Oluanpi (歐鑾鼻), Pingtung County — Taiwan's southernmost tip. It is projected to move westward and could have its most significant impact on Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday next week, the CWA said. The agency did not rule out the possibility of issuing a sea warning at that time. According to the CWA's latest update, Podul is drifting west-northwest
RSS